Fight To Freedom
by LostOceans
Summary: We were tortured, then we were close to death, then we were safe, then we left. Now I don't know what we are… mostly just lost. Belex and her flock of four are on a mission battling enemies and finding allies. A war is coming. Failure is worse than death!
1. Freedom of the Lost

**Hi, um hope you like it.**

**I have the entire story planned but i'm very slow writer so don't expect a fast update. sorry :( I'll try my best though.**

**I like reviews so the more I get the happier I'll be.**

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We were tortured, then we were close to death, then we were safe, then we left. Now I don't know what we are… mostly just lost.

I have many names, yet I do not exist. I call myself Belex and so do my friends. I'm also known as X to those few friends. Friends… people I trust… only three in the world and one might be dead. Depressing thoughts really, I should think of something lighter, joyful and happy. Like the sweet taste of freedom.

And if freedom tastes like pollution and car petrol, well then at least its better then blood, death and torture.

So as to what's been happening in my life so far… not much. It's been just over two months since The Great Escape, the day we gained our freedom and lost a friend. I must say we are expert thieves

Like right now for example my flock and I are in this really modern three story house. It's full of big old antiques and very clean. I think the house owners motto must be 'everything has a place or it's rubbish', and although I don't usually vandalise houses we brake into, well I just couldn't help my self! The lounge room, dinning room and kitchen are now swimming in 6 litres of milk. I wonder why they had so much milk in the first place…

"Okay guys time to be off." I call to my flock in a hushed voice which I know they could hear clearly. Asp walks over to me, raised an eyebrow at the milk splashed everywhere and opens the sliding doors. Hawk comes into the room with Nite on his shoulder carrying a large bright red beanbag.

I glare at him, "what the hells that for? We live in a frikkin' forest!"

"It's not for sitting on, num-skull! It's full of food."

"Oh… hey! I'm not a num-skull!" I yelled at him

He gave me a look which said _are-you-sure?-do-you-honestly-believe-that?_

Thrusting out my bottom lip, I muttered "meanie" and marched out the door, onto the balcony, spread my massive 17foot long wingspan and jumped.

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**Was it ok? Did you like it? I'll make next chapter longer. **

**R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R&R... etc.**


	2. Idiots With Guns

**So... chapter 2! Little disappointed that only 14 people read my story, and none reviewed but thats OK hope you all like it.**

**Flames are appreciated so any problems with my writting or story that you think needs improvong or fixing please review or PM me so i can make those changes and make this story better. My writting is dodgy at the best of times, so any feedback on how to improve is always welcome. Thank You!**

**Also this chapter is dedicated to the Pine tree outside my bedroom window... I don't know why, it's a nice tree and I think it needs a chapter dedicated to it... XD**

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When we returned to camp we saw the place had been torn apart, small scrubs that surrounded the pine tree we'd been sleeping in had been pulled up and shredded, the old pine which had been our bed and home for the last week was barely standing, deep claw marks raked up and down the trunk, punctures on one of the trees thick heavy branches looked as though it had been chewed, a few of those branches had been torn right off. Our poor faithful old tree was bleeding an ocean of red sticky sap which made it look even more beat up, it looked warn and venerable which was sad for a tree that was once so strong and proud, towering above the rest of the forest inhabitance.

Our two backpacks which we had left fifteen metres up in the pine, now lay in mud beneif the trees ancient roots, torn to unrecognisable shreds. I was inspecting the remains when a twig snapped.

"GET DOWN!" I yelled diving to the ground as the machine guns fired around me, each shot seemed to vibrate in my head, the firing came from all around. I was trapped, which sucked. I can't fly because there is a storm of bullets above me and the only reason I haven't been shot yet seems to be the huge pine tree roots are protecting me, poor trees done so much for me and my family yet it keeps suffering because of us. I hope Hawk and Asp heard my warning and found cover quickly.

Trying to ignore the machine fire and the rapid thumping of my adrenaline pumping heart, I looked around for a way out. Bullets are still fired in an endless storm, although some of the damn wolf-men seen to have stopped, and I can hear distinctive shouts of pain from many of my assailants. Were Asp and Hawk fighting? Was someone else hurting the Erasers? Stupid guns! Preventing me from seeing what the hell's going on!

I needed to get up in the air, and then I might be able to do something. The erasers behind me seem to have stopped shooting, which gives me an opening to climb the old pine, and for once my 'arms' wouldn't be an inconvenience. I seriously wonder why White-coats created my arms as bird feet in the first place. My shoulder and most of my upper arm is covered in soft black feathers, below my skin is a light grey like a cloud before a light sprinkling of rain. I have three grey fingers forwards and one that juts backwards, all of them have big sharp black talons, perfect for grabbing things which leads me to believe I'm part some sort of bird of prey, rather than say a pigeon or a duck.

I dug my talons into the poor tree which once again had to experience the pain I bring with me, and slowly started climbing. Me being part bird makes it feel really weird climbing a tree usually I would just fly to the top, sadly that's out of the question 'cause I will need my wings later, preferably with no holes in 'em, to get away.

Finally I got high enough up the tree to see clearly what was going on, I knew Erasers where stupid but this… this is total madness! Now if you thought that maybe a stray group of mutants started attacking the Erasers, you would be wrong. If you thought a miracle had happened and most of the Erasers just dropped dead, you would be close but still wrong. However if you thought the Erasers were stupid enough to ambush us in a circle then shoot straight forwards, across to the Erasers over the other side, you would be spot on. They were simply shooting each other, not even bothering about us.

I sat in the tree watching the Eraser massica for a while, just watching them make little groups then one wolfie turns and opens fire on his group, the traitor Eraser is then shoot from behind. It's complete chaos! Not to mention stupid! But I'm not complaining, Erasers can take my place in death anytime. It even might have been funny seeing our enemy's henchmen killing themselves, had I not known that once they were human and would have had a loving family if not for Itexicon. My flock and I had a choice join the whitecoats or die, we chose to die. Erasers never had that choice they are ruled by their wolf instincts. Their anger is their downfall, what controls them, imprisons them. Wolves aren't to be caged just as much as birds; they need to run free as we need to fly.

And here they were killing each other, it's sad although it possibly save my flocks lives. I haven't found Hawk or Asp yet and I'm starting to get really worried about them. Nite-Flier is perched in a prickly Holly tree, surveying the battlefield which cold glinting eye's, I guess he doesn't see the killing as anything of much interest, why would he? Nite's the only 100% bird in our flock, and has never experienced the multiple levels of hell the rest of us have gone through. He joined our Flock when Hawk discovered his talent, skill, ability, power, or whatever ya wanna call it. Hawk's unique talent is a connection of his mind and birds of prey, like Nite who is a Red-Tailed Hawk. The connection is like a link between both Hawk and the birds, they can feel each other's emotions (like fear, happiness, sadness, etc.), thoughts and even send images to each other and it works like having two completely different thoughts at the same time. Very complicated.

I whistled to Nite, he looked up and he flew over, perching on a small branch to my left, which dipped slightly as he got comfortable. One of the thirteen remaining Erasers either heard my whistle or saw movement or both, she (yes, there are female Erasers) barked a command and raised her gun, pointing straight at me. Didn't she know it's rude to point as gun as someone?

For a split second I panicked, my claws were stuck in the tree trunk, the split second before -shaky laugh- I unclenched my talons and dropped to the leaf-littered floor. Crouching in a small ball to absorb the impact, failed, I just ended up jarring my knee and rolling over from the shock. Real graceful, how come in movies the characters always look so dignified and elegant; also they never seem to stuff up in times of need. My life would make one scary horror movie.

The Eraser was fast to move; before I could react she had a big booted foot on my back just between where my wings connect to the rest of me. The boot was studded, the metal spikes dung into my flesh and spine, as she held her gun to the back of my head.

The eraser leaned down and whisper-growled "just like a sitting duck; just waiting to be shot. Night, Night little birdie." I closed my eyes and waited for the pain to end. Freedom was all I ever asked for and I had it for two wonderful months. Two months, in which I learnt to fly, I had friends and I wasn't being experimented on, not in a _cage_. So, I die with my dreams fulfilled, I die happy and_ free_.

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** I'm too scared to edit this chapter in case I suddenly decide i don't want it to end like this. **

**There are many reasons why i just about killed my character; one is that I'm bored. Second is that the soccer team i support just lost the grand finals! so sad :'( it was very close went into overtime with nil all, Central Coast Mariners then scored two goals! Brisbane Roar also scored 2 frikkin' goals in the last damn 5 minuets! 15 seconds and Mariners would have won! it was so devastating when Mariners missed two penalty shoot outs. and Brisbane won the A-League. :'(**

**so anyway better luck next year... and review! I can probly find some random statistics on why reviewing is good for your health... will that get my lovely readers to review?**


	3. Eyes of a Bear

**Hello Again!**

**Thank you Moonstar for reviewing! My first review of this story! yay! To answer moonstars fantastic review, I was going to clear it all up last chapter but it didn't go to plan... ten Erasers turned into alot more, Belex has a gun to her head, Asp and Hawk disappear... and i didn't get to give any discriptions of anyone but Nite-Flier and Belex's arms. so in this chapter, number 3, i've included some info about Aspis. not so much about anyone else so I'll put a mini profile on each of the characters at the bottom of the chapter. **

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Aspis POV

Hawk and I were staring I'm utter amazement at our previous temporary home. It looked terrible, like an earthquake had just completely obliterated everything in sight, that is if earthquake had claws. Sadly they don't, and we only know one enemy who could do this, Erasers. The name its self strikes terror in the hearts of many brave people I know, keep in mind I only know two people, but very brave none the less. So we were aimlessly wandering around looking at the devastation of plants and earth, looking for anything left behind that could help us in any way, when Belex yelled. I grabbed Hawk roughly and dragged him down. Hawk screamed, I turned around to see a bullet had shot through his shoulder I could see blood gushing form the wound. Luckily we found a ditch and rolled into it, just as more guns went off.

The next twenty minutes passed with me trying to patch up Hawks arm with a shirt and small fern leaves as there wasn't much shirt and shoulders are tricky to patch up. The make shift bandage finally seemed to be holding and the blood lessened to almost nothing. The machine guns were slowing down by that time although the yells of pain were still there, and yes I did say yells of pain. They had started just after the firing, maybe we had help? Rescue, perhaps? Or some innocent bystanders, it could be anyone. All I know is that trying to take a look will get my head blown off, not a thing I want to do. So I kept my head on my neck, talked quietly with Hawk and listened.

I heard a thump, then a gasp, then the guns stopped. And I swear that was X gasping in pain. I jumped up leaving Hawk in the ditch, and saw to my horror X crumpled on the ground, massive machine gun to her head and a big ugly wolfie standing over her. Running to my leaders aid, I felt a strange painful tingling feeling as I leapt on the Eraser nocking the gun to the ground as it went off, I winced at the sound but it had missed Belex's head by centre meters. Lady Luck must really like me today. I raked my claws into the Eraser. Wait, CLAWS! My claws? WTF!

The Wolfie tried to fight back, digging her teeth into my skin, but my skin just moved with her teeth as she shook, it was like my skin wasn't fully connected to me anymore. Bring my jaws to her throat, I tore it out. Blood covered my muzzle and I had this weird instinct to lick it off, but as I did so I felt the four gigantic canine teeth, much larger then my usual retractable fangs. Shit! I have a furry paw with sharp claws, a muzzle, massive teeth and a taste for blood. Am I an Eraser? No, no, no, no, no… what am I going to do? I'm my own worst enemy! I'm still me right? How did I get lupine DNA? I'm am human, avian, serpent and bear, no wolf! How did I get lupine in me? Wait! Bear! What if I'm a bear! Bears have claws and teeth! Bear, bear, bear, how do I know if I'm a bear or not?

Belex POV

I still had my eyes shut tightly when my attacker was thrown off me. The gun went off very close to my head; I could feel the vibrations from the bullet through the ground. My eyes shot open as I jumped up, ignoring the searing pain from my knee, and stopped dead.

My 'would be' executioner/murderer had morphed into her true form, a humongous, blood thirsty, mutant wolf. She was grey with black and brown streaks down her back and tail, red, angry eyes, she was slightly smaller than morphed male Erasers, but just as muscled and deadly. The Eraser was brawling with what looked like a… bear? What was a bear doing here? Anyway… it just saved me, thank you random bear.

Looking around I got the basic layout of things, twelve fully morphed Erasers running towards me, one on my left, seven off to the right side of me, and four coming from behind. Nite dropped out of the tree and glided, more gracefully then I could ever accomplish, to the one on my left, talons out starched.

I, on the other hand, had just noticed Hawk lying motionless, covered in blood in a ditch, the five Erasers nearly on top of him. I made the split-second decision, and raced over to him, lunged at the fat guy who'd just noticed him, and missed. Hawk, luckily wasn't unconscious as I first suspected, sweeping his foot like lightning, he toppled the surprised and off-balance Eraser. Wasting no time I ran talons outstretched, slashing madly in the air til I hit flesh.

Nite-Flier, having finished his one Eraser, joined our fight, tearing flesh and hair from the wolves with both beck and claws. Hawk after his surprise attack lay motionless and didn't stir again. The bear after standing still for a while finally decided to move and attacked the group of four, three were already down. Asp was nowhere, but I had a strange feeling he was the bear.

With Nite and my combined force we knocked out two and the other three were fatally wounded, not intentionally of course but they just kept attacking and sharp talons are a lot like hot knives in butter. The bear who I really think is Asp with some new power, not to sure, had finished with his pack of Erasers and was just sitting there looking miserable, if a bear can look miserable. His thick fur coat was a dark rich brown, two shaggy round ears poked up above his face which was lighter in colour, a bloodied muzzle with a large wet nose and almost-black eyes with a strong hint of orange. He might have been mistaken as a giant fluffy teddy-bear with his rugged thick fur and graceful step, had he not been tearing apart Wolfies a second ago, and did I mention covered in blood? Not his of course. The bear is Asp I'm sure of it they have the same thick hair, brownie-orange eyes, oh and the obvious point that he attacked only Erasers.

A soft moan from the ditch brought me back to reality; I quickly shuffled over to Hawk and checked his arm. It wasn't that bad, missing wing, bone and arteries, there was a messy hole through the muscle near the top of the Humerus, quite close to the collar bone. Someone had hastily wrapped the shoulder in bandages, probably Asp since Hawk could barely move.

We had to move, fifty dead mutant wolf-people is a lot like a big bloody red dot saying 'you are here' on a map. Only to the whitecoats it would say 'they are here'. I motioned Asp the bear over to us, he'd been scavenging things from the ground, guns, ammo, the food we _acquired _last night, backpacks, cloths, knives, anything that may be of use. He brought everything over in Hawks fluffy red beanbag hanging from his mouth.

I spread my beautiful back and white wings, preparing to pick up Hawk bridal style and take off. Except Asp is now a bear. Bears don't have wings, and I won't leave him. What do we do now? I've got a nine year old who's been shot and possibly need medical attention, an eleven year old mutant who's turned into a giant bear, and me with my scaly grey clawed hands. We have powerful people after us with lots of money and henchmen. So what the hell do we do now? Do you know what we did? The only thing left to us of course!

We walked.

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**this note disappeared shortly after i wrote it... i might have forgoten to save or something. so now I'm writting it again :( sorry for not noticing sooner.**

**i'm also using feet instead of meters for the wing span, just coz it is in the MR books. In the story I will be mostly using the metric system.**

**so i promesed a mini profile thingo for each of my characters:**

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**Belex or X,**

_**she is 15 or 16**_

_**unknown bird DNA**_

_**massive back wings with white secondary feathers, **_

_**17ft wing span (yes they are bigger then the maximum ride charters, different bird wing characteristics, stamina and endurance rather than speed and agility(it's mentioned somewhere in ANGEL))**_

_**arms are like that of a birds, sorta scaly grey skin, sharp curved black talons, shoulders are covered in soft fluffy back feathers. first claw pointing backwards the other three forwards.**_

_**matted black hair, mostly covered in blood or dirt**_

_**bright green eyes**_

_**medium tan**_

_**leader of her flock**_

_**loves to fight**_

_**very violant**_

_**isn't big on emotions, all feelings are mildly felt or false for the benift of others around her**_

_**very antisocial but loyal to those around her**_

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**Aspis aka. Asp**

**_aged 13_**

**_part avian, serpent, bear (anyone know the sciency name for bears?) and human_**

**_13ft wings because of the bear DNA they are shaggy with fur mixed with feathers, dark woodsie brown, bulky with heavier bones and more mucle, feathers are slightly darker at the tips_**

**_he's more muscled and stronger then normal bird-kids_**

**_brownie-orange eyes_**

**_thick brown hair_**

**_he can transform in to a brown bear (description is in the chapter so im not going to be bothered)_**

**_second in comand of the flock_**

**_has a short temper_**

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**Nite-Flier, Nite**

_**the only 100% bird in the flock**_

_**Red-Tailed Hawk**_

_**molted brown wings and tail feathers tinged red**_

_**light cheast with brown streaks**_

_**yellow feet**_

_**wing span abit more then 4ft**_

_**can only comunicate with Hawk via Hawks power**_

_**seems to understand whats going on.**_

_**he is the most skilled at flying**_

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**Hawk**

_**11 years old**_

_**wing span of 10ft**_

_**sandy yellow wings with black and brown streaks**_

_**short yellowy blond hair**_

_**brown eyes**_

_**telepathic with carnivorous birds eg. Hawks, eagles, owls, vultures. but not with other birds like ducks, pigeons, parrots...**_

_**he likes to be around people and is very social.**_


	4. Oh Sanity why'd Ya Have To Leave?

**Hello once again!**

**This might be a disappointing chapter, it's more of a filler. Sorry.**

**also i forgot to mention this in earlier author note's but does anyone know the sciencey name for a bear, google is sending me on a wild goose chase and won't tell me.**

**Dedication... hmm... This chapter is dedicated to the up coming school holidays! Five terrible days to go!**

**so enjoy...**

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Belex POV

We walked, and walked, and walked, then we walked a bit more. Stopping little and barely sleeping longer than three hours a day. I was tired and walking dead on my feet. Still carrying a semi-conscious Hawk, he should have recovered by now, but his shoulder had become infected and wasn't healing normally. Blood and yellow stuff constantly oozed from the wound, the skin around the hole's inflamed, hard and swollen.

Asp had returned to his human form, after two hours of rolling around on the forest floor shaking, shivering, screaming and withering in a small curled up furry-ball. He lay there panting for a while then pull himself up and simply said "that hurt like hell". And we continued.

I hate walking.

This is the sixth day of walking.

Have I mentioned I don't like walking? And that where ever we happen to be, it's a pain in the ass, avoiding walking up mountains and trying to stay downhill.

Asp returned to his bird-kid self two days ago and we last saw an Eraser hunting party yesterday. We'd meet five hunting parties after the slaughter fest under the pine tree; two on the day after one three days ago and one yesterday. Each party consists of five to ten blood thirsty erasers all morphed, ready to kill and those evil scum-bags even starved the wolfies. With a bear on our side they were very easy to take down and suffered minimal injury, small cuts, bruises, maybe the odd bone. Nothing major.

But with Asp in his bird-kid skin we had a harder time, I had claws raked down my right wing when I tried to gain an advantage from above, two ribs broken, dislocated shoulder and I broke a nail. Well not really a _nail_ more of a talon and it hurts like hell! Asp didn't do much better he broke some bone in his ankle, broken nose and nearly had a large chunk of leg torn off. Nite looked the best out of all of us with only a few tail feathers pulled out. He's also covered in blood and mud, like the rest of us.

We walked slowly, barely moving, always in the same general direction. The plants were thick and dense so we followed animal trails, occasionally meeting another living thing, different animals, quite a few snakes, skunks, we even passed a cougar. They're also known as mountain lions, so you'd think they would be hunting somethin' nearby. It looked happy and content to just wander on past us.

I eventually turned off the trail and came to a holt, Asp followed sleepily and sat down, pulled off his backpack and went to sleep immediately.

I lay Hawk down on a soft bed of ferns, tried to clean his wound as best I could, it smelt terrible! Like something died then rotted for a long time, which probably wasn't too far off most off, the wound looked like rotten flesh. We needed disinfectant and antibiotics.

I was taking first watch since Asp so _kindly_ asked if I would mind, Nite took last night's watch and I the night before. Therefore it should be Asp's turn! I couldn't be bother waking him up though and with him so tired I'd run the risk of him falling asleep. So I'm stuck with another sleepless night. Yippee.

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**(F****our and a half hours later)**

"Oww! What the hell X!" Asp yelled when I kicked him awake.

"Good morning sunshine! Up and at 'em! It's a brand new day!" I said cheerfully throwing a few energy bars at him. I am _so_ going to get him back for stealing my sleep. Which I desperately need.

He tried to roll over to ignore me so I kicked him again. "What is wrong with you?" he groaned.

"Don't quite know myself, but I'm sure it serious." I said happily giving him another kick.

"Will you stop that?"

"stop what?"

"kicking me!"

"I'm not kicking you! That would be mean." I said trying to sound offended and failed, so I gave him another kick.

"Ow! Yes you are! What do you want?"

"I am not!" I kicked him again, "as for what I want I want a lot of things, but you could start with getting up." I said simply, nudging him with my foot.

Asp decided it would be less painful to just get up and have a breakfast of random energy bars, fruit bars and musili bars. I let Hawk sleep till we were ready to move and Nite had woken up sometime during my _conversation_ with Asp.

As we stepped onto the animal trail we'd been following last night I saw the tracks I hadn't seen in the dark. Footprints made by shoes. Probably human (it's hard to tell the difference of human and hybrid by shoeprints). Only one set of prints, leading in the direction we were going. We could easily be walking into an ambush.

Nite flew from tree to tree scouting the area ahead, we had a slight disadvantage with Hawk unconscious, and the delayed reaction time for Nite to fly back to warn us.

I wasn't carrying Hawks body today, Asp was. My thinking is that if there is a trap I'd walk into it first and hopefully Asp would be able escape with Hawk and Nite. I'd then pull off some amazing escape and we'd continue on our way. That's Plan B if Nite misses something or rather _somebody_.

The forest was fairly empty, besides the trees I mean, very few birds most of them multi-coloured parrots chattering noisily to each other, Nite drifts past and they all fly off in alarm. the odd insect mostly bees, wasps and butterflies fluttered around the native wild flowers. the leaves rustled in the cool breeze and that was about it. Nothing abnormal. Just like yesterday. Two days of peace, most people wouldn't get edgy about that but I'm not normal people. And I distrust this peace.

Yes, I am worried about the lack of people trying to kill me.

I like the butterflies. No! Not in that girly way, pretty pink butterflies, sparkly purple flowers and a smiling happy sun *gag*. No, these butterflies were black and orange with little white spots, Monarch's or Wanderer's is what they are. Large, beautiful, graceful and powerful, if a fluttering butterfly could look powerful, then these Monarch's did it. Each of their quick wing beats were of excellent control, like they'd had years to gain perfection. They are also like many birds, migrating both north and returning south with the seasons, that would explain the vast number I'd seen today. They were on their annual migration southwards.

Although the Monarchs distracted me for a while I eventually became aware Asp was lagging behind. He was still carrying Hawk over his shoulder, which look painfully uncomfortable for Hawk. Asp was panting heavily so I stopped to wait for him, when he caught up he nodded and we continued, a little slower than before.

I hate walking.

So slow, so very, very slow.

"Hey," I called back to Asp who'd fallen behind again. "I think I can hear something."

"Something real? Or is your insanity talking?" He replied obviously not having heard what i thought I heard.

"My insanity really does talk I swear! It sounds just like my voice!" I'm not really crazy but denial is the first stage of acceptance, and Asp will use anything I say against me in the future. So it's best to play along.

There! I heard it again! A truck, defiantly a truck. I stopped, straining my ears to listen to the road I could only hear faintly.

Asp had no idea what I was doing, he hadn't heard it yet. "What are you doing?"

"Searching for the meaning of life."

"Ah huh… of course."

Signalling Asp to be quiet we snuck up towards the road. Peering through the tall road-side grass and bush I saw a moderately busy highway. Most of the cars were five seaters or four wheel drives. A couple of motor bikes and a semi-trailer. They all whizzed past, returning home, not a care in the world for us homeless bird-children. Not that I want anyone to know about us… we could end up in a zoo or circus or anywhere people can observe us like freaks. No privacy.

A large blue sign caught my eye,

**USery Mountain ****Regional Park**

**~ N**** Bush Hwy ~**

It also had a logo for something in the corner which I didn't recognise. It was a badge like frame in yellow and the letters 'US' with a Christmassy looking pine tree between them. And why would I recognise it? Living in a cage doesn't teach you these things. It might teach the meaning of hell and pain and pure evil, but not park logos. Anyway the sign didn't tell me much, so it doesn't matter.

I motioned Asp to retreat back into the bushes, where we could move and talk without anyone seeing.

"Think we should follow the road?" I asked, gesturing south down the road.

Asp shrugged in reply "we can't go back, unless we want to become dog chow."

"Okay, to civilisation we go!" I pointed enthusiastically ahead and started marching, Asp followed less enthusiastically.

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**(Another hour****… or five, later)**

Walking…

Walking…

More walking…

Another step…

Walking…

Time ticking by…

Even more walking…

Walking…

Step after step…

Foot after foot…

…

Some more walking…

Bit more…

Hate walking…

Stiff wings…

Walking…

Grounded…

Too much walking…

Hungry…

Should stop…

Need food…

Need sleep too, but that ain't happnin'…

So on with the walking…

And walking…

Few more steps…

One foot after the other…

Rhythmic thuds…

One step, two step, red fish, blue fish...

Love my insanity…

So tired…

Exhausted…

Hate bloody walking…

Wing too tender to fly…

Stupid Erasers…

Stupid Itex…

Stupid world…

Stupid walking…

Hate walking…

To many sleepless nights…

Lucky Hawk…

He doesn't have to walk…

Always sleeping…

Not even conscious…

Shoulder is in pain though…

Poor Hawk that must hurt…

Still hate walking…

Death to walking!

"Hey, X? Are you okay?" Asp's gravelly voice cut off my pitiful wandering through my messed up mind, and brought me back to reality.

"Huh?... yeah, fantastic. It's getting dark so we should probably make camp." I tried not to sound to exhausted but I think I failed. Stupid yawn.

I don't know when I fell in behind Asp, I didn't even notice this until I followed as he veered of the track which ran parallel to the highway, into thicker bush.

I would have just loved to sleep immediately when Asp finally stopped walking. But the world is a cruel place…

Seven Erasers stood between me and my sleep.

I'm too tired to fight, too tired to run, too tired to attempt to fly, but I WILL NOT be taken back! Summoning my miniscule energy which remained to me, along with the adrenaline now pulsing through my veins. I got into a fighting stance, legs apart, claws raised, head up, eyes watching.

Something felt different.

My arms felt strange… looking down expecting to see my black feathery shoulders, scaly grey skin and sharp black talons. I nearly had a heart attack.

My arms, my beautiful unique arms, were gone. Replaced. Replaced with normal, average human arms. My wonderful sharp talons too. Also replaced with ugly, useless, blunt, round human fingernails. How did I not notice this!

I am, for once in my life defenceless. I can't fight without my talons. I've had them my entire life! I can't punch, I don't know how to. I slash, cut and stab! That's how I fight!

We are doomed. Not that we had much of a chance before, two exhausted bird-kids and a bird against seven morphed well-rested Erasers hungry for blood. I was hoping luck would help out with those odds evening us out. But no, now I can't fight properly! I'll still try, I never give up, I'll only last seconds though.

Kinda sad. Surviving a mass-slaughter days ago to be taken down from running ourselves to death.

Funny too, for the same reasons. Oh the irony…

I'm ready for a suicide mission! I'm not going to be taken alive! To exist in cages, not really living! And I'm taking these bastards with me! Haha! Death to every one!

Everything seemed to be in slow motion from then on. I wasn't aware of my insane laughing, the joyful smile of a lunatic on my face, where Hawk was, what Asp was doing, why the Erasers suddenly turned tail and ran, where the dead or unconscious Erasers disappeared to, how I was suddenly on the ground, the soft warm hand pulling me up, the same warm hands patching up my bloody gashes, the many children quaking at how beat up I looked. I didn't notice any of this cause I was only barely holding onto life.

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**what did you think? boring? slightly depressing? pointless? repetative? like the kicking Asp awake part?**

**once again that was a filler... plot is coming soon... hopefully.**

**I don't have much to say... except I wasted a whole day writting this and reading FanFiction.**


	5. Unexpected Help In The Middle Of Nowhere

**Hello anyone reading this story! I know it's been a while but on the plus side the next two chapters are also ready to be uploaded soon, once I fix up bits. I'll probly post the next chapter tomorrow or later tonight.**

**Also if anyone is reading my other story Birds of Fire I'm really, really sorry about how long it's taking.**

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Asp POV

I'm annoyed at X. she frikkin' kicked me awake! I can kinda understand that she's angry about my falling asleep last night but I was exhausted and have fallen asleep on watch which would have pissed her off even more.

At least I had a few good hours sleep. Too bad my stomach is killing me with stabbing hunger pains. Yes, X so kindly threw energy bars at me for breakfast, but we are on rations and us bird-kids burn energy like nothing else.

So not the best morning to wake up to, but on the positive side it's definitely far from the worst.

I'm also currently carrying Hawk over my shoulder the poor little guy is still unconscious and not healing as quickly as he should. He's not heavy due to our hollow light-weight bird bones but a limp body is just so awkward to carry. They don't come with advised hand holds or straps like a backpack. Bodies are strangely shaped and the worst damn thing to transport by hand through thick bush. Extra limbs like wings do not help the slightest either, they limply swing to the rhythm to my steps.

Belex stopped ahead; I'd fallen behind a fair way down the track so it took me a little while to get to where she was standing with her head cocked to the side listening intently to something.

Passing a few words, something about the meaning of life, we continued our trek to who knows where.

After a while we arrived at a road. It was fairly busy. Cars and trucks constantly buzzed past noisily, going to their nice cosy warm loving homes. With hot food and soft, comfy beds. Sounds nice except for all the catches; taxes, education, laws, money. It's nice sometimes, not existing. It means we can't be tied down in the normal way of human life.

They believe they are happy and free, which I guess they are in their definition of freedom; easiness, independence, liberty and rights. Their life is definitely a lot easier than ours. Not running for their life an all… but they don't seem to know the meaning of freedom, to roam the spotless blue sky, to feel the gale force winds rushing through your hair, the adrenaline rush you get from a steep dive. They don't know what freedom is because they never experienced it. Sure, they have planes which can make these things happen, but it's just not the same. No one is free like the birds except birds themselves. And us bird-kids.

X wandered into the bush so we could talk privately and decide what happens next. "Think we should follow the road?" she asked, waving her arm southwards down the road.

I just shrugged not really caring where we go, "we can't go back, unless we want to become dog chow."

"Okay, to civilisation we go!" Belex shouted pointing enthusiastically to the south and started marching with long robot-like steps. I didn't have many options except to follow the lunitic, so that's what I did.

X didn't keep her happy-go-lucky act up for long, (yes I could tell it was an act her smile didn't reach her troubled green eyes, and she rarely shows her true feelings openly).

She slowed down after a few hours of walking, eventually letting me lead. X didn't even look awake anymore, sorta like she's sleeping or dead, wasn't even seeing her surroundings anymore, just walking over them.

I decided it was time to find a place to sleep. "Hey, X?" I called "Are you okay?"

Unfocused eyes meet mine, as she shook herself awake "Huh?... yeah, fantastic. It's getting dark so we should probably make camp." She said through yawns and staying awake. So tired and still going, that's perseverance for ya! Or stupidity… I'm not too sure.

Veering off the path we'd been following along the road, I headed back into the thicker forest. I didn't get far before seven smiling Erasers stepped into the tiny clearing we'd just entered. Damn.

"Hello little birdies, fancy meeting you here." One of the bastards sneered. Backing up slowly I put Hawks limp body down beside a log. Never taking my eyes off the Erasers for a second. Putting a few metres between where I'd left Hawk, in case I needed space to retreat.

Two Erasers lunged, trying to catch me off-guard when my eyes darted to Belex. The first eraser I used his momentum to swing and redirect him at a tree, with a conveniently placed branch stabbing the beast through the chest. The second Eraser caught me of balance, ploughing into me and knocking us back a few steps. Pushing him away, then feinting a punch to his head, and instead jabbing him in the gut.

We continued to fight, neither gaining the upper hand for long. Punches and kicks raging in a blur, we seemed pretty evenly matched which was pretty amazing for the Eraser even morphed, one on one is usually won easily for us, we are faster, they are stronger than us but even so we are a good three times stronger than the average human being. Erasers aren't very smart so it's not hard to feint punches and catch them by surprise.

I didn't seem to be able to transform into a bear. Which was not surprising, but both a relief and an irritation. No painful transformations back again but I didn't seem to have any control over the timing and such.

Jumping to the left to dodge a swipe destined for my left arm, then ducking to avoid losing my head, I swept my leg around hitting the back of his knee, crumpling the Eraser, who let out a surprised bark as my booted foot smashed into his skull.

Using the brief time to look around I took in that there were two Erasers cheering on a third Eraser who was losing to a battle with Nite.

Belex despite the fact that she looked asleep moments ago was twirling between another pair of idiots, dodging their clawed punches and kicks. But something looked off.

Her ARMS! Shit they looked human! I'd never seen X's real hands before. They've always been those grey claws. Shit, she looks human, she could actually pass for human! When did she get _hands_? Hand _hands_ like complete with fingers and stuff.

It took me awhile to work out her hands must have changed sometime between now and when I'd last seen her, cause she most definitely didn't have 'em last time I checked.

Putting the new information to the back of my mind I prepared to help Nite with his three spawns-of-satin. But before I could do anything one of the Erasers barked something, all hairy heads snapped up, and for a second nothing moved. Then suddenly an Eraser near X growled and they all ran. Some pausing to grab their two fallen pack members and disappeared into the green forest.

I just stood there, completely shocked, the only thought running through my mind at that moment was _what the fuck just happened?_ Belex immediately collapsed to the ground and Nite flapped his way over to perch on my shoulder, affectionately nibbling my long coppery-brown hair.

Having nothing else to do I walked over to Belex's sleeping body. Hawk was okay where I'd left him, completely untouched by the Erasers, save the bullet wound from earlier.

After what felt like a long time but must have been less then minuets, about forty loud chattering kids just randomly decided to march into the clearing. They aged from around ten to twelve years. A single lady was leading the kids. She stopped immediately when she saw X and I covered in blood

"OH MY GOD!" the lady who I assumed was a school teacher screamed. "What happened? Is she hurt? Oh my god, look at all that blood!" the teachers worried rambling was drowned out by the children who'd decided to start screaming and shouting in fear and/or confusion.

I decided it would be best to stand, so I stood protectively in front of Belex. I was conscious of Hawk being rather close to the kids, but none of them had noticed him yet. To focused on the obvious bloody sight before them.

Nudging Nite off my shoulder he flew up onto a branch, gaining collective gasps from the watching crowd. Have I mentioned I hate people. Not in the 'die humans' kinda way, but I just feel uncomfortable being around them, too crowded, too noisy… too many bad memories.

The young teacher finally found her wits and yelled at the kids to shut up. Quiet whispering still passed through the crowded kids who couldn't see what was going on.

The lady took a nervous step towards me. "Hello, I'm Miss Lily. What's your name." she said sweetly with a fake reassuring smile.

"um…" I didn't know what to say so I said the first name I could think of, "Harry."

"That's a lovely name!" she exclaimed in delight. I just rolled my eyes. "Harry, dear who's the pretty young lady behind you. Is she alright?" Miss Lily asked kindly, sorta motherly. Not that I'd know, I've never had a mother, or even met one for that matter.

"She's fine just tired, you know, late night an' all." My lying skills probably needed some practice, who's going to believe a girl covered in blood in the middle of a forest is _just tired_?

"Sweetie she's hurt. Look at all that blood. Do you know what happened? Who is she?"

"Bel- uh- Isobel, and I were attack by some guys and their- um dogs?" it came out more of a question but Miss Lily didn't seem to notice, instead she gasped and had a genuinely horrified look on her face.

"Oh my goodness," she walked forwards and I let her pass, she wasn't a threat, small and frail I could take her out in one swipe. "We need to get her some medical attention immediately! Can you carry her?"

I nodded. Belex did need attention. So does Hawk for that matter.

"Okay there's a camp ground not far from here." Miss Lily said taking the lead.

Not knowing what to do about Hawk, I wandered over to the limp body picking him up as well. Some of the kids looked at me funny when they saw I had another blood covered kid hidden in the bushes.

I couldn't do much. The school kids looked normal, no scales, horns or anything else that suggests they are anything other than human. Most of the kids stared intently at me, others snuck curious glances before whispering quietly to a friend. I guess this isn't a normal occurrence for them either.

We walked slowly for about five minutes, Miss Lily still leading and the kids following behind like lost lambs. Eventually we arrived at a large grassy field, the forest had been removed and now was the place of vacations and retirees wasting money for a practically artificial 'outdoors experience'.

The teacher stopped for the kids lagging behind to catch up. That's when she noticed I had Hawk with me.

"Who's this?" she asked clearly confused.

"This is um, Ben. He was, uh, shot by the men who attacked Isobel and I." I said, trying to match the wounds to my fake storyline.

"oh… Wait! Shot?"

"Yeah, some of the guys had guns. Clipped him in the shoulder. He's lost a lot of blood." I explained as though it was an everyday occurrence to be hunted by men with guns; which for the few people I know it is.

The medical centre was an average looking cube building made of brick. It'd been painted white although rain and mould had stained both inside and out with mould. Inside was a waiting room with a nurse behind a desk. The antiseptic smell brought back memories I'd rather forget. Many of those memories are too horrific for nightmares let alone life.

The nurse motioned me to put 'Isobel' and 'Ben' on two identical white beds. She left the room, leaving Miss Lily to interrogate me.

"So, Harry what were you and your friends doing alone in the bush?" she asked.

"Our parents thought we should go camping. Outdoor experiences and all that stuff." I said convincingly.

"Don't you have school and where's your mum and dad?"

"oh they're at work of course," I said once again lying easily. "They thought it would be best to avoid the holiday crowds and the prices of things sky rocket then too, so we're saving a ton of money. But then these creeps came with their crazed dogs. We walked away from them but they followed so we ran. They fired guns at us and kept chasing us all day then they finally caught up. We tried to fight but Ben had been shot and we were all really exhausted." It sounded like a crap lie to me, but Miss Lily seemed to be buying it. Maybe these things happen often? I really wouldn't know.

"You poor dear that's horrible! I'll call the police and they'll bring those mean men to justice. Don't you worry about it." I could tell her words were sincere but it ripped panic through me. No police. No one must know about us.

"Umm… Miss Lily I don't want the police involved. They won't be able to do anything; the men were wearing masks hiding their faces I didn't get a good look at the dogs either so we can't identify anything of use." I reasoned, mentally begging her not to call the police.

She considered it for a moment, "I think we still need to call the police. They'll investigate who has dogs in the park and track the men down. And it's the right thing to do we can't let men run around harming children, its dreadful!"

"But the police can't do anything. The bad men fled as soon as they heard your class coming, they probably have a car and got away quickly. Many people have dogs so the police can't use that as a lead and search the whole world. Fingerprints won't work either because of the gloves. There's not enough evidence even if we do somehow find the men they could claim the dogs got out of control or had been stolen. There is no proof that the owners are the men, we can't even identify them." Not to mention they 'legally' don't exist. I didn't say that of course.

"Okay," frowning unhappily Miss Lily finally gave in. "but I'll have to speak to your parents and if they tell me to call the police I will have to."

Just as I open my mouth to argue, the nurse walks in her smile starched wide across her face and greets us cheerfully as though we were long-time friends visiting after a long time apart. Creepy.

"how are we all today? Enjoying the sun and warm weather? Summers on its way finally, oh what a lovely day it is. Have you been at the lake all day? Water might still be a little chilly, but I'm sure the fish are biting. They're always hungry once the weathers warmed up a bit." The nurse rambled still smiling happily.

"I'm good thanks. Bit tired but that's fine. Isobel and Ben need some help though." I say not letting my irritation show.

"oh, yes, right. So what happened to them there's a lot of blood." She looks sceptically at the amount of blood on their cloths.

"some dogs attacked us. Don't worry that's not all their blood." Damn this lady is irritating! Just fix them already!

Miss Lily excused herself to check on the school kids and didn't come back in.

I was left with the infuriating nurse. Keeping our wings a secret was hard, but I managed it. Hawk's arm looked a lot better and I could tell he'd be fine by morning.

Although Belex had been twirling and spinning around the Erasers it's obvious they got a few good swipes at her. Red claw marks crossed most of her abdomen and new _human_ arms. It's weird to see her without the sharp curved talons and scaly skin, it felt like something was missing. Exhaustion is what's keeping her in bed, two nights without sleep, trekking though mountains and fighting for your life generally drain a lot of energy. She'd wake up soon. Then kill me for getting us in this situation.

I still didn't know where I'd find some 'parents'. We might not even have parents, we could be test-tube babies or worse clones. Belex will have a plan. She always has a few up her sleeve. Even if it's as simple as improvisation and luck.

I was finally given the O.K. to leave, taking 'Ben' and 'Isobel' to the school bus. The school kids bus had broken down while on their way back from an excursion to a lake. They'd then had to come to these campgrounds to get good mobile reception and call another bus and a mechanic for the other. They found us and so 'escorted' me carrying X and Hawk, to the camp ground. We're now expected to take the bus with the kids to town then call our 'parents' when we arrive at the school.

I hope I'm far, far away when X wakes up and decides to kill me for getting us onto a frikking bus.

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**Reviews are a****ppreciated as always!**


	6. Mr Boot?

**Hello again! see told ya I'd be back soon! Not as soon as I promised, sorry, but my internet was dodgy. (hehe blaming easily fixable things is fun...)**

**I got another review! whoohoo! I think this is cause for a celebration! **

**So to my No-Named Anonymous reviewer I find it kinda creepy your idea for a character... you will see why in the next few chapters lol basically a character I'm introducing in this chapter, Jaggard, well he _was_ going to _originally_ be almost exactly the same as your Tancered... even to the colour of his eyes and the shape-shifting into a jaguar... see why I find this hilariously funny (and sorta creepy)? Jag was part crow and didn't have any powers besides the shape-shifting hehe so slightly different. ****Also somehow you knew allies were coming soon... anyway so like I said Jag was going to be like your character but I changed him cos he wasn't right for what I needed him for. But... I've got an idea for how I can stick Tancered (Shadow) into the story! He should come into the sory around chapter 9 or 10. Can't tell ya more than that it would ruin the surprise! :)**

**Now did anyone notice the lack of dedication in the last chapter? we'll I forgot it... I know shocking, isn't it? There will be two dedications for this chapter.**

**Dedication #1: is to my sisters 6 month kitten who I call Kitkat (he is was actually named George) he got some random illness he nearly died from which vets couldn't work out. Luckily Kitkat is now fine and can walk, eat and move again! Yay! He's a very cuddly kitten but he won't be touched by anyone but me :)**

**Dedication #2: is ofcourse to the No-Named reviewer because obviously he/she reviewed and gave me an awesome character to put in the story and play with!**

**Do I have anything else to say? Nope, so on with the chapter!**

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**Belex POV**

_Arghhh!_ Everything hurt! What the fuck happened? I don't remember getting trampled by a bloody elephant!

Keeping my eyes tightly closed and my breathing the regular shallow breaths as though I were still asleep. I waited for the pain to reduce and energy to flood through my veins. Once I could finally feel my toes again, and was vaguely aware I still had all my limbs attached, I sat up, and immediately wished I hadn't.

Okay imagine this scenario: you've been locked in a cage your whole life with sadistic scientists looking at you, pocking and prodding. You then escape that hell hole to be attacked by their hellish henchmen which are the last thing you can remember and then suddenly out of the blue, you find yourself sitting on a vibrating floor surrounded by a lot of staring kids.

No wonder my first words were "What the fuck is going on here?"

"Isobel, mind your language!" A young woman in her twenties scolded me. Who's she calling Isobel?

Instead of correcting her I calmly asked her where we were.

Now apparently my friend 'Harry' agreed to some kinda deal involving my 'parents' and not calling the police. And I was told a lot of crap about how we were poor darlings who'd been traumatised and needed rest and that all would be okay. Lots of promises of safety and getting far away from evil men.

I got the feeling the woman, who'd introduced herself as Miss Lily, is rather on a sugar high. Honestly, how can she keep that bright smile on while talking about crazy dog mauling's? It's a mystery to me.

Eventually Asp came to the rescue assuring Miss Lily that he'd fill me in on what's happening and that we'd call our parents immediately. What parents? Last I checked we'd even had to name ourselves.

"Sit down and explain." I ordered getting off the floor and moving to a tatted red bus seat.

"Hey Isobel, are you feeling okay? The men and their dogs ran off when they heard the school kids walking towards us. Pretty lucky, huh? You and Ben got hurt pretty badly so Miss Lily kindly took us to a Medical centre. I helped out a little and the nurse didn't find your wounds to bad. So you're all okay now." He said which translates to 'your name is Isobel, story is that men and their dogs attacked us, the teacher is not evil, no one knows about the wings.'

"Okay, thanks. What did Miss Smiley-face mean about calling parents and the police?"

"Miss Smiley-face?" Asp asked quizzically.

"Yeah, I renamed Miss Lily, her smiling was getting on my nerves."

"Uh huh, okaaay, well because the guys who attacked us were wearing masks and gloves and probably high tailed it out of here, if we call the police they will just interview us and not be able to do anything. So if our parents agree, Miss Lily-"

"Smiley-face." I corrected

"-won't call the police. But I forgot their number. Is the last numbers five-six or five-nine?"

That all translated to 'you need to find us some parents or the police will find out about us.' I guess it's time to call in a few favours. "neither it's five-three. Have you got a phone to call them?"

Asp got a fancy-smancy IPhone from Smiley-face and I dialled the number I'd memorised off by heart. She picked up on the second ring.

_Hello?_

"Hi it's _EX_-iting I haven't heard from you in a while." I put emprises on the 'x' hoping she'd pick it up. And she did.

_X is that you?_

"Yep, we ran into a little bit of trouble with some men and their dogs they attacked us on our camping trip."

_Erasers damn they found you too. Where are you? Why are you specking cryptically?_

"We were found by some school kids on an excursion. The teacher wants to call the police about the men but we didn't get a good look at them so it's pointless. So I need mum or dad to confirm that it's okay to not tell the police."

_You don't have a mum or dad__._

"I Know, so get Him."

_Okay I'll find Jag but he'll want your services. We're hard pressed lately and need all the helping hands we can get. The attacks on us have doubled and we lost five good __fighters in the last week. Something needs to be done._

"Sure we'll come help. I've been missing the kittens anyway how've they been?"

_They've all chosen their own names in the true mutant tradition, Fuzz, Fall and Ice. They're still the centre of attention and as cute as ever. Also we have another member for your flock__, but you know security and all that important stuff, well you'll have to come by to meet him._

"Another guy? What happened to good ol' girl power? Fine but we have stuff to look into here first. Where will I be able to find you?"

_Same place you left us. Were slowly retreating__, so a bit further in. I'll give you to Jag now. Cya later, if we're still standing!_

"Thanks, bye!" I could hear the phone being moved around as the phone was passed to Jaggard.

_Hey X! How ya been?_

"Hi Jag! I'm good, on a bus fulla school kids though."

_Oh, n__o time for pleasantries? Okay, so onto business. Where do I start?_

"No we are not blowing it up." I knew exactly what he meant and also that he was one hundred per cent serious.

_But where's the fun in that?_

"Sometimes life's not fun, you just have to deal with it."

_Fine well what can I do for you?_

"We ran into some trouble…" I explained our cover story to him and implied what was needed of him.

_Sure but you know we can always use your help here on the fron__t line. We almost lost Metla, luckily one of Elm's stallions had perfect timing. We also found out what happens if Elm loses a horse; let me tell you it ain't pretty._

"So you joined their party?"

_Yeah we're filling in for__ the Guards they've lost lately. We're winning the battles but slowly losing the war. Less recruiting as well the Whitecoats have cranked up the security a lot. I'll tell you more when you visit but it's not looking good. Aerial attacks would be a huge advantage right now, sure there's me and this other new guy but he ain't the best of fliers and you know my issue. _

"Like I told Vibe we'll be coming by soon, just gotta finish some stuff here first."

'_K__ay should I pretend I'm your father for the teacher now? Or was that just bull shit?_

"Nah it's true-ish, but yeah if you wanta be secretive then I suggest no police."

_Fine by me put her on._

"Alright cya."

I walked to the front of the bus and gave Miss Smiley-Face the IPhone. I retreated a few benches back and tried to listen with my raptor hearing, sadly it was futile with all the noisy school kids singing strange car songs.

"_Eighty-seven bottles of beer on the wall, eighty-seven bottles of beer. Take one down pass it around, eighty-six bottles of beer on the wall…"_

I vaguely wonder how they can be bothered to sing and count backwards while in a bus. Anything would be better, as long as they're not _singing_. Why, why, _why_ do they have to _sing_?

Luckily they lost count and confused each other so no one knew what number of bottles of beer were on the wall anymore. So they found a new song.

"_This is the song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves. This is the song that's will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves…"_ this song was even worse than the bloody bottle song. I think there are a few different versions on this song 'cause it ended in arguments about the wording.

So the next fun filled song was sung about a moose drinking juice. Then a yellow submarine song, which the tune eventually became a song about living in a tub of margarine.

It was a long bus trip so I eventually managed to tune out the horrible out of tune singing and think about our current situation and how to possibly turn it into our favour. We are on a bus of socially accepted young teens who act like five year olds, who all believe we were attacked by men and dogs. Which isn't a complete lie they were just mutant men who turn into blood thirsty hounds. The kids also think we are human. They don't know that I have no idea how to use my new human looking hands or what to do about Nite who's somehow supposedly following the bus or when Hawk will be in peck fighting condition again.

Overall I have lot of current issues. I haven't even tried to count the slightly longer term problems. Long term being the ones I'll have to deal with tomorrow. Or the future issues that are the mountain of problems after the long terms.

Future issues include fulfilling my promise to Jaggard and Vibe the two hybrids I'd asked for help. They'll expect me to join the Mutant Representatives Bravely Operating as One Together, it is a large group of dedicated mutants coordinating attacks upon the science labs of Itexicon. We specialise in protecting other hybrids and fighting a war against the whitecoats. Abbreviated and commonly known as Mr Boot.

Mr Boot is split into five different groups, The Flock which is my little group, Aspis, Hawk and I, _they_ don't know about Nite-Flier yet. We have the ability to fly, our specialty is aerial combat and fast back up, which is why Jag wants us. We are like the cavalry; agile, fast, strong and we have the element of surprise in the field of back up.

There's also The Pride which started off as cat only hybrids but now consists of any Hybrid who wants to join, they specialise in fighting Erasers and launching attacks on the factories. Jag is the leader of about thirty unpredictable mutants of different ages and various powers.

The Herd who are the hybrids who can't fight due to injury, morals, close family commitments or lack of ability. They walk around in a massive camp moving every now and then when food becomes hard to come by.

The Guard are the protectors for The Herd fighting off Erasers, they also scout ahead when the main body moves camps and help out whenever they can. Most of The Guards are fast runners; hybrids of horses, gazelles, Rhinos, cheaters, emu, _et cetera_. They all have ability to defend The Herd with physical attributes or powers.

The last party is the aquatic hybrids, The Shoal. They are more separate and prefer to live out at sea away from all civilisation. No one knows much about them besides that they live in the ocean and we rarely come in contact with them.

Mr Boot's ruling members are called the Nightmares, we include the leaders of each division and a few other important figures which depend on powers or personality or interest or intelligence. Anything which helps our side get a new un-expected edge to the war. Asp, Hawk and I are all part of the Nightmares. Me cause I'm Flock leader and I love planning heists, Asp cause he's a quick and direct strategist, second in command and I pulled few strings so he wouldn't be left out, and Hawk because he can communicate with the birds so therefore send messages far and wide whilst assure Jag they haven't been intercepted.

Jaggard and Vibe are the founders of Mr Boot, Vibe enthusiastically named it and also created the acronym. She looks about seven, very hyper, and loves her power. Honestly who wouldn't love weird, bright, fluorescent, pink mist that does whatever a seven year old finds a use for? It even glows in the dark sometimes. She has one of the most unique powers I've ever seen.

My flock is trying to find other escaped mutants and offer them help and relative safety in one of Mr Boot's divisions. It's harder than it sounds, most mutants don't want to be found for the obvious reasons. The sad thing is over time the whitecoats eventually do find them and ship them back off to captivity, unless the mutants lucky enough to have died fighting.

I've been recaptured about five times already. Asp's been recaptured only once before and this is Hawk's first time out. And hopefully we won't be caught ever again.

I'd assume Jag wants us back on the front line within a week so we have a few days before the long flight home. So much time that leaves us to get this mess sorted out.

Stuff to worry about later... now I need to sleep.

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**Have I told you readers that I love reviews? Well there is a little blue button that would love to be your best friend...**


	7. Soft King Sized Beds

I'm back! Finally! It has been a few months since I've last updated and I'm really sorry about that. My wonderful laptop had issues... which i fixed with duct tape. And learn't the hard way that duct tape doesn't necessarily fix everything. Anyway I got it professionally fixed and i no longer need to hold the screen up or press down hard on the missing key spaces. It was a lot worse than it sounds... really.

but its all fixed now so on with my tradition for this story... the dedication!

This chapter goes to... my sisters kitten! He is a small black kitty who doesn't like being cuddled (ever!) and has suddenly decided to curl up on my knees as I write this.

Thanks Again No-Named reviewer for more great reviews, sorry about the wait.

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Belex POV

I woke up to Hawk poking my forehead. I glared at him and growled, "you'd be dead right now if I weren't so glad you're not." I pulled him into a hug, not a thing I'd normally do. "Welcome back to the land of the living my little friend!"

Untangling himself from my arms, Hawk looked at me suspiciously before saying, "the bus stopped five minutes ago, everyone else has left. Asp's getting our sleeping arrangements sorted. _And_ we get to sleep in beds! _Real_ beds!" Hawk was a bouncing ball, literally jumping for joy at the prospects of 'real' beds.

Stepping off the bus reviled billions of people! Okay not billions… that might be a little exaggerated, but there were more people than previously on the bus. The kids families. Oh, how I hate crowds, or just any people in general. Sure I can deal with a few, more than that and claustrophobic panic kicks in. I felt like spreading my cramped wings and flying out of here as fast as I can, I didn't. No, instead I walked straight into the masses, like any normal person, heading directly towards Asp and that creepy smiling teacher.

"Hi Isobel! Hi Ben! Have a good snooze? What a tiring day it's been, yeah?" Smiley-Face said, again much too cheerful for her own good.

"Sure… um, so what's happenin'?" I asked.

"Oh yes! Right well 'cause your father is too far away to collect you, you're going to go home with Julie and her parents, Mark and Sue. They kindly accepted to look after you for the weekend. Isn't that nice? Now I've got to run off and check everyone else is getting home safely. Have fun!"

I watched Smiley-Face's retreating mass of fuzzy brown hair, before turning to a girl around Asp's age with a heart shaped face framed with curly red hair. She smiled at me and introduced herself, "hi I'm Julie. Would you like to meet my mum and dad?"

"Okay, I'm Isobel and these are my brothers Harry and Ben." I would have asked where she lived but I didn't know even vaguely where we were, let alone a street name. So never mind… Asp, Hawk and I followed Julie to her parents awaiting seven seater land cruiser. Her parents, Sue and Mark seemed nice enough, waving a friendly 'hello' from the front seats as we loaded into the back. I made Asp and Hawk climb over the seats into the very back claiming my legs wouldn't fit, and took the middle seat crammed between Julie and her baby brother's safety seat.

The drive was shorter than the bus trip and soon we were pulling up in front of a massive two-story white weather-board house, which I've dubbed The Mansion just for its sheer size. A veranda stretched along the left side and across the front, between us and the veranda was a flowering white rose garden centred around a naked statue of a woman without arms. It looked picture-perfect and quite the homey and welcoming sort.

We entered the house after Asp and Hawk _eventually_ struggled out of the car (Hawk managed to fall head first out the door). Inside was tidy with a little mess giving it a lived-in feel , red couches, a glass coffee table and a large flat screen TV made up the lounge room, which we passed to reach the stairs as we were directed to the guest room. Asp immediately claimed half the king sized double bed with blue doona and matching pillows. Knowing how much Hawk wanted a real bed I took the couch whilst he was still staring in amazement at the bed.

I walked over to Asp who'd put our one remaining backpack on the bed side table and was rummaging through what we had left. There wasn't much, pair of cloths each and a small stale pack of chips. We'd need to go 'shopping' soon and 'borrow' some stuff.

I ordered Asp and Hawk to change into the clean cloths, just so we look slightly more normal without the blood. After we had change I headed down stairs to find Julie and see what we do next.

"Hey Isobel, wow that's a nice shirt, much prettier than that bloody one you were wearing earlier. Hey, do you want my mum to wash the dirty one? She's really good at getting stains out." Julie rambled as soon as I wandered into the kitchen. "Hi Harry!"

"Uh… Hi," Asp replied hesitantly. "So what are we doing?"

"Oh well first we're going to give your dirty clothes to my mum, then I'm going to give you a tour of the house, then we'll have dinner and after that we can watch movies. I know the best movies ever! And I can get mum to make popcorn and it will be just like a pyjama party!"

"Okay sounds good. I'll go get our clothes." I say quickly retreating back up the stairs, leaving Asp to Julie's mercy.

I grabbed our piles and dragged Hawk away from the bed and down the stairs. Julie then proceeded to show us around the house, introducing us to her small hairy dog, molly. Molly was a cream coloured fur-ball, short little stumpy legs and a curly tail. She yapped at Asp a lot, following his every step with her high pitched barks, never more than a foot away.

The rooms were all very spacious and let light from large windows light up each room in a golden glow. Julie's bed room was painted a light purple with hot pink curtains and a billion stuffed toys on her bed and dressers. Her four poster bed had been draped in reflective sequined fabrics of pinks and purples, her covers were bright pink as well and practically everything in the room was some shade of pink or purple combination. It was hurting my eyes just looking at it all.

Eventually we were called for dinner which was spaghetti bolognaise with a homemade sauce. It's the best thing I've ever tasted! Which isn't saying much… but I can't imagine anything better. Sue didn't know how much spaghetti to make with three extra gusts. So she accidentally made too much. It served our appetites well. Although we had to claim we were starving from running all day.

Julie begged her father to drive us to the nearest VideoEazy and we were allowed to pick a movie each. Julie grabbed some chick flick about finding truelove and bitchy-ness. Hawk got an animated kids movie called Lilo and Stich, and Asp and I had no idea what to get. After some discussion Asp finally got Die Hard and seeing as I still had nothing I took the other DVD he'd been looking at, a James Bond movie.


End file.
